Upper Saucon supervisor resigns, blasts police chief

Officers, officials leap to department head's defense at meeting.

A retired Upper Saucon police officer who was later elected to the township board of supervisors resigned his seat Tuesday night, but not before firing a critical broadside at Chief Robert Coyle.

"I totally disagree with the way the department is being managed," Joe Konkolics said before announcing his impending move to Florida. "As a [supervisors] board member, I can't even ask the chief to do something, because it is not in his plans."

He also accused his former boss and the department of poor community relations.

Konkolics, who was appointed this year to lead the board's new Emergency Services Committee, spearheaded a controversial move this month to add two lieutenants to the 17-man force. The idea was tabled Tuesday.

Investigator David Petzold, vice president of the Upper Saucon Township Police Association, told supervisors he was "very disappointed" with Konkolics' remarks.

"I am a citizen of the township and a police officer," Petzold said. "I am extremely disappointed with the comments of Mr. Konkolics about our department and our chief."

"I think it's more an issue between the board and the chief than between the association and the chief," Najera said. "We really don't have a problem with the management of the department.".

Supervisor Chairman Allen Cassaday praised Coyle's performance and said the board has no problems with the chief.

"None of us had any idea he was going to say that," Cassaday said of Konkolics' comments. "The statements made by the patrolmen were very, very accurate."

Konkolics and Emergency Services Committee member James White Sr. met Feb. 12 with Coyle, association members and township administrators to discuss the plan to add two lieutenants.

Konkolics told his colleagues Tuesday the idea was to provide increased accountability in the department, offer more hands-on supervision, free the chief to spend more time seeking grants, offer advancement opportunity for young officers and improve morale.

But Coyle and the association leaders say the positions were not requested or needed. Coyle and Najera said four corporals now serve as shift supervisors.

Promoting two officers to lieutenant would create a need for two more street officers, said union leaders.

The police also disagreed with other committee recommendations, which included a moratorium on promotions until the department is at capacity; eliminating a Lehigh County Drug Task Force position and rotating the two plainclothes investigators back to patrol duty as needed.

Coyle left before Konkolics submitted his resignation and could not be reached for comment on his remarks.

Cassaday said the board will appoint a replacement March 23. There are two years left in Konkolics' six-year term, and the board will seek applications from residents interested in the position.